Sárospataki Füzetek 1. (1997)
1997 / 1. szám - M. Eugene Osterhaven: The Foundation of our Faith and Theology. (Hitünk és theológiánk alapja. - Fordította: Rácsok Gabriella)
M. EUGENE OSTERHAVEN foundation for faitk and ikeology is ike Word of God to wkick tke Holy Spirit kears witness, and tkey kelieved tkat Princeton s position was reminiscent of Aquinas medieval attempt to wed Greek pkilosopky and kiklical tkougkl. Making apologetics, wilk its elakorale system of arguments propounded ky Princeton, tke foundation for tkeology. and claiming tkat wilkoul lkat strong intellectual kase it was impossikle to carry out tke tkeological task was to compromise sound kiklical teacking and Reformed ikeology. according to the Du tck ik eologians. A Ckrislian does not skare common ground witk an unkeliever in mailers of faitk. tkey keld. and tke Princeton melkod undermined tke doctrine of tke effects of sin on tke kuman mind. Moreover, it was an error to place apologetics at tke kead ' of tke wkole tkeological curriculum, as W arfield desired. Dr. Warfield died in 1921. kul ke kad akle colleagues and successors. One of tkem. Professor J. Greskam Macken, was appointed to tke ckair of apologetics at tke lime tkat tke rationalistic cast of tke Princeton ikeology was keing questioned. Tke appointment of tkis great sckolar was klocked. and four years later ke and tkree of kis colleagues lelt Princeton to found w eslminsler Tk eological Seminary wkick. it was said, would carry on tke tradition of Old P rinceton. Professor Jokn E. Kulzenga. of Western Tk eological Seminary in Mickigan. accepted tke invitation to occupy tke Stuart Ckair of Apologetics at Princeton in 1930 even tkougk Le kad reservations akoul tke melkod tkat kad keen employed tkere in teacking lkat sukject. Dr. Kuizenga gradually skifled tke empkasis to one more coinpalikle witk Scripture and tke Reformed confessions. Dr. Kuizenga was ckairman of my committee at Princeton wken Í did graduate work tkere. It was still a lime of great ckange tkere, and I keard From Kuizenga kis tki'nking on tke proper function of apologetics in relation to failk. However. I kad keen so impressed w ilk tke older melkod lkat Í carried it kack to Mickigan wilk me wken I kegan teacking at Hope College in 1945. III. Ike position of Jokn Calvin on our sukject is quite different from lkat of Old Princeton. and I fee I tkat it is superior. Calvin was interested in intellectual arguments wkick support faitk. as kis writings skow. (7) k 111 tkese are secondary aids to our irakec ility. (8) Tke only solid f oundalion for 74
